Like the biblical story, the burning bush encourages the leader figure to take up the movement and push against the norms of society. After David helps put out the fire, the town treats him as a hero and he effectively become the leader of the colour movement (while Jennifer becomes a secondary character)

Locations

Lovers' Lane

Love, Lust (and open expression)

In many ways, the reading of novels is shown to be as disruptive as having sex to Pleasantville. Multiple characters can been seen reading to each other.

The Library

Knowledge, open-mindedness

Food

Potentially power, independence,

Refusing to follow the routines or regular menu can represent a character taking control. Bill first gets some independence when he realises he can make a burger in multiple ways. Betty finally asserts herself in a scene where she also tells George that he will have to finish cooking his own dinner

Books

All of the books mentioned feature and detail aspects of life which are sad or distressing, but all of the readers of the novels love them.

The people with colour in the film at times symbolise the experience of African American's in the 1950's and 60s.

Cinematography

Focus on the use camera angles and close-ups

Music

Characterisation

Jennifer/Mary Sue

David/Bud

Betty

Bill

George

Allusion

Artists

Bill is inspired by a range of painters. Van Gogh is a particular inspiration.

The whole town starts reading and they books they enjoy are often books that have a history of being banned (Huckleberry Finn, The Catcher in the Rye, etc)

Film

To Kill a Mockingbird

Civil rights movements

Montage

The montage of classes in the real world is designed to be worrying and depressing. Importantly, none of these problems are solved by the end, but David now feels secure and confident about himself in the real world.

Social Changes

Sexual revolution

Civil Rights movement

Art, free-speech and censorship

No fault divorce/non-traditional families

Feminism

What are the risks with nostalgia?

inaccurate

still impact modern society and views with bad ideas

overthinking/obsessing

Often ignores the problems with the time period

Themes

Social Change/justice

Diversity/conformity

Nostalgia and escapism

Repression

Can art be immoral?

Could you create an immoral painting? What would it look like?

Could you write an immoral story? What would it be about?

Could you write an immoral song? What would it sound like?

What if the final product is morally good, but it's creation wasn't

What is false/borrowed nostalgia?

When you feel nostalgic for something that wasn't part of your life

Why is it popular?

People are currently unhappy, so they assume when things were different, they were better